Charles edwakd de fonblanque



(No Model.) 0! D FQNBILANQIUE.

HAT RETAINER.

6 m N 1 w I 3 m% a M d .6 b n flu t W 9 E 3 %Q 8 5 S E my 7, I N 0 I E N R 0 I T A ANDREW B GRAHAM PHOTO LITHO WASHINE'IONJL UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES EDWARD DE FONBLANQUE, OF DIKOYA, GEYLON.

HAT-RETAIN ER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 555,689, dated March 3, 1896. Application filed February 25, 1895. Serial No. 539,564. (No model.) Patented in England Septemb r 14, 1894, in). 17,532.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that 1, CHARLES EDWARD DE FONBLANQUE, tea-planter, a subject of the Queen of Great Britain, residing at Stamford Hill, Dikoya, Ceylon, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fastenings for Hats or Bonnets, (for which I have ob tained a patent in Great Britain, No. 17 ,532, dated September 14, 1894,) of which the following is aspecification.

My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a view showing the invention attachedto a hat when worn on the head. Fig. 2 is a view of a hat, showing the application of the invention thereto. Fig. 3 is a view of the strip or appliance having a slot at one end, and Fig. 4 is a view showing the companion strip with notches or corrugations to connect in the slot of the strip of Fig. 3.

This invention relates to improvements in attachments or appliances for retaining or holding hats or bonnets in position on the head when by reason of high winds or other causes the hat might become detached or blown away. There are various contrivances now in use for this purpose-such, for instance, as large pins which are thrust through the frame of the hat into the hair and elastic or tape bands for going under the chin or behind the head. These have been found in use to be very ineffective, while the first mentioned cannot be used without damage to the shape or frame of the hat.

This invention does away with the insecurity found in all previous cont-rivances, while at the same time it provides comfort for the wearer, and being invisible when in use it has a considerable advantage over the unsightliness of tapes or elastic showing outside or of pins sticking out at the side of the hat when in use.

The invention consists in two flexible strips or bars of whalebone, vulcanite, celluloid, or other suitable material, which are provided at one end of each with holes through which is placed a flat clip, stud or small suitable fastener for the purpose of attaching the appliance to the lining of the hat. The fastening-stud will rest just over or on the temples when the hat is worn. At the reverse end of one of the said strips is a row of notches, indentations, or corrugations, and at the reverse end of the other strip is placed a slot through which the end of the strip with notches is placed. The notches then connect with the slot and the two strips are firmly held together.

To put the invention into use it is only necessary to attach the strips to the frame of the hat by means of the clips or studs before mentioned and slide the strips under the hair till they meet together at the back of the head, when the two ends are connected, as explained above. The strips can, if desired, be worn outside the hair. The notches are arranged so that the attachment can be fitted to heads of any size, and one or more holes are placed at the reverse end so as to allow of the length of the strips being regulated to suit the size of the head, and the strips when not required to hold the hat on can be placed around the inside of the hat without inconvenience to the wearer.

In Fig. 3 the strip is shown having a slot at one end, and Fig. 4 shows the corresponding strip with notches or corrugations to connect in the aforesaid slot. At the other end of both the strips are shown two holes to enable the appliance to be attached by means of the stud or clip before mentioned to the hat or bonnet.

In the drawings the strips are indicated by a a, the slot in strip a by b, and the notches or corrugations in the companion strip by 5. Holes, two or more in each strip, are indicated at c.

Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is- As a means for retaining hats, caps or bonnets in position on the head of the wearer, a pair of flexible strips having each at one end means for securing the same to the hat, one of said strips having at its opposite end notches or corrugations and the other having at its opposite end a slot to receive the notched or corrugated end of the companion strip, substantially as set forth.

Signed at 28 Southampton Buildings, London, England, this 19th day of October, 1894.

CHARLES EDWARD DE FONBLANQUE.

Witnesses:

T. F. BARNES, G. F. WARREN. 

